Train-order check system.



No. 861,322. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. W. R. SCOTT.

TRAIN ORDER GHEGK" SYSTEM.

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PATBNTED JULY 30, 1907 w. R. SCOTT. TRAIN ORDER CHECK SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOH I'ILED FEB. 25, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. SCOTT, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E. M. CUTTING,

OF FRUITVALE, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

TRAIN-ORDER CHECK SYSTEM.

Patented July so, 1907.

Application filed February 25, 1907. Serial No. 359,152.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Order Check Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in signals for use upon railways and for like purposes; and means for operating and controlling such signals, said means being arranged to suit the condition of single track lines, or a plurality of such lines.

It consists of the usual station or train order semaphore, or other signal, and means whereby said signal on single track lines may not be cleared or put in the proceed position when the operator or agent holds a train order or message for a train or trains going in the same or opposite directions on a single track, until such orders or messages have been delivered into the hands of the conductor or other authorized person. It is furthermore impossible for the operator or agent to receive a train order or message for a train or trains on the regular printed forms provided for the purpose unless he has previously restored the signal or signals to the danger or stop position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a view illustrating my invention applied to a single track. Fig. 2 represents the invention applied to a double track. Fig. 3 is a modification of the invention in which a mechanical lock is substituted for an electrically operated one as in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 3 one clip is shown as removed. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through a box showing a train order clip in position. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a box with all clips removed except one. Fig. 6 is a side view of a clip: Figs. 4, 5, 6 all refer to the electrically operated apparatuses of Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in Fig. 1 with the invention applied to a single track, A and B are the usual double-armed station semaphores, with connections CD, bell-cranks EF, and rods GH connecting with the second pair of bell-crank levers, said rods having handles 0 and P at the lower end. These rods carry lugs I and J by which the semaphores and the order-clips 5 may be mutually locked against movement as will be more fully explained shortly.

2 is a box or cabinet having a plurality of shelves 3. These shelves are each provided with flat metal springs 4, or equivalent means for closing an electrical circuit or connection between the several clip-boards or mes- On the back of each clip-board 5 which carries a supply of train order or message blanks, is fastened a metallic or other strip 6 which is a conductor of electricity.

On the front of the box 2, quarter-doors 7 and 8 are hung, and these are connected with movable hooks 9 and 10, with which the handles 0 and P may engage when either or both of them are pulled down. The connection between the doors 78, and their respective hinged hooks 91O consist as here shown of projections 78 on the doors hinged to respective rigid projections 910 on the hooks. Opening the doors tilts the hooks back out of the way of the handles OP.

The usual operation would be as follows: With all the clip-boards or holders reposing on their several and separate shelves in the box 2, the metallic strips 6 on the backs of the holders form the necessary electrical connection with the springs 4 on the shelves of the box 2. This completes the electrical circuit through all the springs and boards, and the current will flow from a battery 11, or other source of electrical energy, through magnets 1212, when the push button 13 is moved to close the circuit, thus pulling down the armatures of the magnets 12*12. These armatures are connected with the bell-cranks or latches 1414 which normally engage with the lugs I and J, and when thus disengaged these lugs are allowed to pass down, when one or both of the handles 0 and P are pulled down to clear the signals A or B, or both. If either one or both handles are engaged with the hooks 9 and 10, the mechanical connections between these hooks and the quarter-doors 7 and 8, make it impossible to open either door, and as both doors must be opened to permit clipboards to be removed, it will thus be impossible to remove clip-boards unless both semaphores or other signals are placed in the danger or stop position, as A. After one or more clip-boards are removed from the box 2 for the purpose of receiving or writing down orders or messages, these clip-boards are laid upon the officecounter or table in readiness for the expected train or trains, and the operator or agent may then go about other duties without fear of overlooking any orders which he may hold for a train or trains, as the absence of any one or more clip-boards or holders from the box 2 will render the electrical circuit or connection incomplete. Even though he may try to pull down either handle 0 or P, or both, he cannot do so, because the lug I or J will engage with the latch 14 or 14*, so that neither one nor both signals can be cleared until the operator or agent has delivered his orders to the proper persons, and the clip-boards have been restored to their respective places in the box 2, thus completing the circuit and permitting the clearing of either one or both the semaphores or signals A and B.

As it would obviously be unnecessary to stop or hold west or south-bound trains on double track when orders are held for north or east-bound trains only, it is necessary to make certain changes in the apparatus as applied to single'track lines. This is done in the following manner, see Fig. 2: Instead of having but one box 2, I

provide two or more of these boxes as at 2-2 the box -vide clip-boards or holders 5--5 which are not interchangeable between the boxes 22 so that when orders or messages are taken down for a west or south-bound train, clipboards or holders 5 must be removed from the box which controls west or south-bound signal as A, v and when orders or messages are taken for the east or north-bound train, clip-boards or holders 5 must be removed from the box 2 which controls east or northbound signal B. Olip-boards or holders belonging to box 2 cannot be placed in box 2, nor can the clip-boards Y of the box 2 be placed in the box 2.

If for any reason it is considered desirable to have the double box arrangement as designed for double track,

applied to single track lines, this may be done, thus avoiding possible objection of stopping trains when orders are held for trains going in opposite directions only.

It will be understood that the same control of the signals may be effected by mechanical connections between the clip-boards or holders, as shown in Fig. 3; themechanical tappets or latches 14 looking or unlocking the signal rod, lever or line controlling device H of either signals -A or B, or both, and whenever one or more clip-boards, or holders, are removed from the boxes, the tappets or latches belonging to said board or boards mechanically engage with notches or lugs IJ,

thus preventing the pulling down of the signals AB, and when all the clip-boards or holders are pushed back in place in the box, all tappets or latches will be mechanically forced out of the notches, or away from the lugs or stops, thus permitting the pulling down of the signals A or B or both.

I have shown the mechanically operated mechanism in Fig. 3 in which each clip-board 5 or 5 has an inclined or wedge-shaped piece 5 fixed to it, and this incline engages the arm 14 upon which is carried a latch 14 similar to that previously described. This latch will engage with a notch .T in the rod or bar H, and as each of the clips is provided with a similar latching device, it will be seen that when all the clips are in place the rod H may be moved, and through its connections with the signals, the latter may also be moved; but if either clip has been removed, its latch will engage the rod H and prevent any movement of thesignal, as here shown.

I do not confine myself to any particular form of signal, nor method of connecting, moving or operating the same, as this device is intended, and may be applied to all forms of fixed signals to be used upon railroads having tracks in relation to each other. Also by the term clip or clip-board I do not limit myself to any particular form or style of train order-holder.

It is manifest that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction of the apparatus, without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a train signal, means to actuate the signal, an order holder, a cabinet to contain the holder, a closure for the cabinet, locking means connected with the closure and engageable by said actuating means to maintain the signal in clear-position, said holder removable only when the closure is open, and independent means operated by the holder to maintain the signal in danger position when the holder is removed from the cabinet.

2. The combination of a train signal, means to actuate the signal, an order holder, a cabinet to contain the holder, a closure for the cabinet, locking means connected with the closure and engageable by said actuating means to maintain the signal in clear position, said holder removable only when the closure is open, and electrically controlled means operable by the holder to maintain the signal in danger position when the holder is removed from the cabinet.

3. The combination of a semaphore, means to operate the semaphore, a latch member for locking the semaphore in danger position, means for holding the semaphore in clear position, an order holder, a support for the holder, and means actuated by the removal of the holder to release the semaphore from clear position.

4. The combination of a semaphore, means to operate the semaphore, an order-holder, a support for the orderholder, a la ch member for holding the semaphore in danger position, and electrical connections between said latch member and the order-holder for controlling the operation of said latch member. V

5. The combination of a semaphore, means including a rod and handle to actuate the semaphore, an orderholder, a cabinet for the order-holder, a hinge-door for the cabinet, a latch member engageable by the handle to hold the semaphore in clear position, connections between the door and said latch member for operating the latter, a latch member for holding the semaphore in danger position, and means operated by the order-holder for actuating said last named latch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' WILLIAM R. SCOTT.

Witnesses E. M. CUTTING, C. E. NORTON. 

